Web handling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Web handling apparatus comprises a machine for de-collating manifold business forms stationery. The machine has a plurality of de-collating stages arranged in line, each stage having a tray for receiving a part of the stationery refolded to form a pack. The drop of the parts of the stationery to their respective trays is arranged to be a function of the number of folds in the parts as they fall in the drop.

llnited States Patent 1191 Gill et al. Dec. 31, 1974 WEB HANDLING APPARATUS 3,514,094 5/1970 Absler 270/525 4 [75] Inventors: Edward William Gill; Derek Arthur 4786 4/1973 Patterson 270/52 5 Vincent; John Peace, all of Canning FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS o England 730,633 5/1955 Great Britain 270/525 [73] Assignee: Moore Business Forms, Inc.,

Niagara Falls, Przmary Exammer-Edward J. McCarthy I Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wats0n, Cole, Grindle & [22] F1led: Oct. 18, 1972 Watson [21] Appl. No.: 298,546

[57] ABSTRACT 52] 11.5. c1. 270/525, 242/562 Web handling apparatus Comprises a machine for 51 1m. (:1 B65h 41/00 collating manifold business forms Stationery The [58] Field 0{Search 242/55 270/525 chine has a plurality of de-collating stages arranged in 270/61 line, each stage having a tray for receiving a part of the stationery refolded to form a pack. The drop of [56] References Cited the parts of the stationery to their respective trays is UNITED STATES PATENTS arranged to be a function of the number of folds in the parts as they fall in the drop. 2,872,187 2/1959 Kessler.....; 270/525 D 2,970,784 2/1961 Kessler..- 242/562 5 Clalms, 5 Drawing g res L i D i, X K, 23 25 ea 14 7/6 11 1 A 24 t 12 t t t t 0 20 i l t l r t (IE) I A 1" 1a 4 {,1 1 1 r I f l I 1 2 7 1,1 79 1 0,1 l8 8 PATENTED UEE3 1 I974 SHEET 3 BF 4 This invention relates to a web handling apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus for handling manifold business forms continuous stationery webs.

Manifold continuous stationery webs after they have been processed, are passed through a decollating machine to separate the webs into theirrespective parts. One form of decollating machine has a row of rollers and corresponding trays positioned under the rollers.

The webs of each assembly are separated from one another by passing the record webs of the assembly around the rollers respectively and, as each record web is passed downwardly from its corresponding roller, it

refolds zig-zag fashion to form a pack ofa web compris A ing a single part on a corresponding tray below the roller.

Usually, the trays of decollating machines are at or near ground level so that the weight of the length of the web between a roller and a corresponding tray is such as to draw the web around the roller, However, this is a disadvantage because a machine operator has to bend down to remove from the trays packs which have been formed by refolded webs.

As the operating speeds of the decollating machine have increased it is no longer possible to rely on the weight of a web to draw the web around a roller because the speed of the web as it approaches the roller is such that the web will overshoot the roller. There fore, it is necessary to provide an idler wheel cooperating with the roller for engaging the web and as the web is guided through the nip of the roller and the idler wheel.

In this manner, a web is drawn around the roller at a controlled rate and it is no longer necessary to pro vide trays at an inconvenient height for an operator. However, existing machines do not take account of this fact.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for handling a manifold business forms continuous stationery web.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for handling a manifold business forms continuous stationery web including a frame,'a first roller rotatably mounted on the frame, a second roller capable of contacting the first roller and a tray below the second roller, the arrangement being such that the web is capable of moving through the nip rollers and down to the tray and in the drop from the rollers to the tray the minimum number of folds-in the web is one and the maximum number of folds is two.' I

The "drop" is defined as the distance travelled by the leading edge ofthe web from the moment ofleaving the nip of the rollers to the moment of the contacting the tray.

An example of web handling apparatus according to the present invention will now be described with reference to accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross section of the apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a combined feed and slitter mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a cross section of part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an alternative arrange ment of a rewind mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the web handling apparatus is a decollating machine which comprises a frame generally designed 1, having a backing plate 2 which is supported at opposite ends by legs 3 and 4 and in the center by a leg 5. Secured to one side of the plate are four decollating stages 6, 7, 8 and 9 arranged in line. At one end, the feed end, of the frame is an upstanding plate 10 which is secured to and extends at right angles from the plate 2. Secured to the face of the plate 10 furthest from the decollating stages 6 to 9 is a tray 11 for supporting a stack of continuous stationery 12. Above the tray 11 and secured to the plate 2 is a guide frame 13 having a tension mechanism 14 for'continuous stationery and transverse bars 15 for supporting the stationery as it passes to a feed mechanism generally designated l6 and a slitting mechanism generally designated 17.

The slitting mechanism 17 removes a marginal stub or stubs from the continuous stationery 12, and below the slitting mechanism betweenthe plate 10 at the first decollating stage 6 there is provided a rewind mechanism, generally designated 18.

Each of the decollating stages 6, 7 and 8 are identical and will now be described with reference to the decol-' lating stage 7 which comprises a tray 19 having a back plate 20 upwardly extending at an angle of about to the edge of the tray nearest the feed end of the frame. Thetray 19 is arranged so that it is upwardly inclined in a direction away from the feed end of the frame. Extending at right angles from the plate 2 above the backing plate 20 is a shaft 21 on which a roller 22 is rotatably mounted. An arm 23 pivotally mounted on a shaft 24 extending at right angles from the plate 2 and supports a roller 25 and is resiliently biased by means ofa spring (not shown) so that the roller 25 engages the roller 22.

Above the inclined end of the tray 19 is a transfer web rewind apparatus comprising a spool 26, secured to a driven shaft extending from the plate 2 and a bar 27, one end of which is secured .to the plate 2. The vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the bar 27 is spaced in the direction of the feed of the continuous stationery beyond the vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the spool 26.

Reference is now made to decollating stage 9 where the drop of the tray is shown at A. The drop at each of the decollating stages is the distance travelled by the leading edge of a record web being delivered at that stage from the moment the leading edge leaves the nip of the rollers 22 and 25 to the moment of contacting the tray 19. The drop is arranged such that as the web moves in the drop the minimum number of folds is-one (as shown in chain-dotted lines at stage 9) and the maximum number of folds is three (as shown in full lines at the stage 9).

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 the slitter unit comprises a pair of cutting discs 28 and 29 rotatably mounted in two housings 30 and 31 respectively.

The cutting disc 28 is adapted to be secured to a cross shaft 32 on the frame 13 and the housing 30 has an aperture 33 for receiving the shaft 32 so that the shaft can pass through the housing. On one side of the housing 30 is a bush 34 which is tapped to receive the shank of a screw 35. The screw extends through an aperture 36 at one end of an arm 37, the other end of which is secured to a tractor mechanism 38. Co-axial with the shank of the screw 35 and between the arm 37 and the bush 34 is a helical spring 39 by means of which the housing 30 is urged away from the arm 37.

The cuttingdisc .29 is secured to a stub-shaft 40 which is rotatably mounted in the housing 31. On one side of the housing 31 is a bush 41 which can be received on a cross shaft 42 of the frame 13 so that the housing 31 is'slidably mounted on the shaft. A thumb screw 43 is provided so that the housing 31 may be secured to the shaft 42.

Normally, the housing 31 will be above the housing 30 as shown in FIG. 3 and the shaft 32 will be driven from a drive souce on the machine.

The stub rewind mechanism 18 will now be described with reference to FIG. 4. Secured to the reverse face of the plate 20 of decollating stage 6 is one side ofa downwardly curved tray 43, the opposite side of which is secured to the upstanding plate of the machine frame. Above the tray 43 is the stub rewind mechanism comprising a disc 44 which is secured to a driven stub shaft (not shown). Secured to the disc 44 is a pair of parallel elongated members 45,46 each-of which is made from a rod which is formed into the shape ofa U having elongated upstanding strokes and which is turned through 90.

In operation, continuous stationery is initially fed through the decollating machine so that pins on the tractor 38 engage the sprocket holes of the stationery. Theposition ofthe cutting disc 28 in relation to the stationery is adjusted by operating the screw 35 until the cutting disc 28 is arranged to cut a margin of a desired width from the continuous stationery. The upper housing 31 then is moved along the shaft 42 until the cutting edge of the disc 29 engages the cutting edge of the disc 28. The thumb screw 43 then is operated so as to secure the housing 31 on the shaft 42. The decollating machine is then inched and each of the record webs of the continuous stationery 21 are fed to respective decollating stations 6,7,8 and 9, the transfer web being passed around the bars 27 respectively and the leading edges of the transfer webs being wound on the spools 26 respectively. When the operating speed of the machine is increased, the record webs of the continuous stationery 12 pass from the nip of the rollers 22 and 25 ofthe respective decollating stations and refold into the decollating stages 6 to 9 to form packs. Meanwhile, the transfer webs are rolled onto the reels 26 and it is found that any tendancy for the transfer webs and record webs ofthe continuous stationery to remain connected is reduced because the vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of each of the bars 27 is spaced in the direction of the feed of the continuous stationery from the vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of each corresponding spool 26.

Since the cutting disc 29 is in engagement with the disc 28, the discs co-operate to slit the stationery as it passes between them and the stub whichis removed from the continuous stationery by the cutting discs falls away from the stationery as a ribbon and collects on the tray 43. As the stub builds up on the tray, it slides to the center of the tray, due to the curvature of the tray, below the elongated members 45 and 46. The disc 44, and therefor the elongated members 45 and 46 are being rotated by the drive shaft which is driven in synchronism with, or at a speed slightly in excess of, the

speed of rotation of the cutting discs. Eventually, the I stub builds up on the tray 43 to a'level where it caught up by the rotating elongated members 45 and 46 and is wound onto the elongated members. Later the stub is removed from the elongated members by pulling the stub in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated members.

An alternative arrangement of the stub rewind mechanism 18 is shown in FIG. 5. In this alternative arrangement thedisc 44 is replaced by another disc 47 which is adapted to be secured to a drive shaft (not shown). Extending from one side of the disc, are three rods 48,49 and 50, the longitudinal axis of the rods being spaced equal distances from one another and being parallel to one another and to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft. The rods each have the same diameter. On

the opposite side of the disc adjacent the end of the rods 48,49 and 50 respectively are three elongated strips 51,52 and 53 which extend radially from the periphery from the disc 47.

Another disc 54, of larger diameter than the diameter of the disc 47 has tubes 55, 56 and 57 secured to one side so that the longitudinal axes of the tubes are parallel to one another and are spaced the same distances from one another as are the longitudinal axes of the rods 48,49 and 50. The tubes each have the same internal diameter which is slightly in excess of the diameter of the rods.

Before the apparatus can be used the ends of the tubes 55,56 and 57 opposite the disc 54 are positioned on the rods 48,49 and 50 respectively, and the disc 54 is pushed towards the free disc 47, the tubes together with discs 47 and 54 sliding along the rods until the ends of the tubes engage the disc 1. The tubes thus form a drum". In use, when the decollating machine is operated the drum rotatesand the removed stub is caught up on the drum the strips 51,52 and 53 preventing the stub from falling off the drive end of the drum.

After the continuous stationery has been de-collated, power to the decollating machine is cut off and the stub is removed from the machine by pulling the disc 54 in a direction away from the disc 47, the stub on the tubes 55,56 and 57 being withdrawn as the tubes are slid outwardly away from rods 48,49 and 50 into their position shown in solid outline in FIG. 5. The stub is then brushed off the tubes and into a waste bin.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for handling a multi-part manifold business forms continuous web including a frame, pairs of repectively contacting rollers rotatably mounted on said frame and being associated with parts of said web, first trays mounted on said frame below each said pair of rollers, said parts of said web respectively passing between respective nips of said contacting rollers and into said first trays, and means on said frame for rewinding a portion of said web, said rewind means comprising a rotatable disc having a plurality of parallel elongated first members extending outwardly therefrom, and a plurality of parallel elongated second members removably mounted on said first members, whereby said portion of said web may be wound onto said second members upon rotation of said disc. and said wound portion may be removed from said first members along with said second members.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein another rewind means for rewinding one of said parts of said web is rotatably mounted on said frame, said an- 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein slit ting means are provided for the removal of a continuous stub from said web, which stub constitutes said web portion.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said slitting means comprises a pair of cooperating rotatable cutting discs mounted for movement toward .and away from one another. 

1. Apparatus for handling a multi-part manifold business forms continuous web including, a frame, pairs of repectively contacting rollers rotatably mounted on said frame and being associated with parts of said web, first trays mounted on said frame below each said pair of rollers, said parts of said web respectively passing between respective nips of said contacting rollers and into said first trays, and means on said frame for rewinding a portion of said web, said rewind means comprising a rotatable disc having a plurality of parallel elongated first members extending outwardly therefrom, and a plurality of parallel elongated second members removably mounted on said first members, whereby said portion of said web may be wound onto said second members upon rotation of said disc, and said wound portion may be removed from said first members along with said second members.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein another rewind means for rewinding one of said parts of said web is rotatably mounted on said frame, said another rewind means comprising a rotatable disc and elongated members extending outwardly therefrom, and a bar member on said frame being so disposed that its axis lies slightly beyond the axis of said another rewind means disc in the direction of feed of said web through the apparatus.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a second tray is mounted on said frame below said rewind means for the reception of said portion of said web.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein slitting means are provided for the removal of a continuous stub from said web, which stub constitutes said web portion.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said slitting means comprises a pair of cooperating rotatable cutting discs mounted for movement toward and away from one another. 